Chronic Inflammation among Latina Breast Cancer Survivors: Findings from the Nuevo Amanecer-II Intervention Program
Carmen Vargas Velazquez
Department of Biology
Faculty Supervisor: Cathy Samayoa
Latina breast cancer survivors (LBCS) in the U.S. experience disparities linked to chronic stress. Chronic stress increases inflammation and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, which are linked to poorer breast cancer outcomes. Furthermore, effective interventions remain to be explored. This study aims to characterize salivary CRP (sCRP) levels among LBCS, measure the relationship between sCRP and cortisol, and assess the impact of a peer-delivered stress management intervention on sCRP. The Nuevo Amanecer-II study used a community-engaged longitudinal design, from 103 rural LBCS in California; 92 (89%) baseline and 76 (74%) follow-up salivary samples were provided. sCRP was quantified using ELISA (pg/mL). Pearson correlation assessed associations between baseline sCRP and cortisol. Intervention effects were evaluated using difference-in-differences analysis. Participants' mean age was 57 years. Mean baseline sCRP was 2.44 pg/mL and mean cortisol was 15.61 pg/mL. A weak positive correlation was observed between sCRP and cortisol. We hypothesize that sCRP levels will decrease at follow-up among intervention participants. This study provides the first characterization of sCRP among rural LBCS, identifies a positive association with preliminary evidence linking stress and inflammation, and may help guide targeted interventions to reduce breast cancer disparities.